Suryavarman II

c. 1094 – c. 1150

Suryavarman II (c. 1094 - c. 1150) was king of the Khmer Empire from 1113 until around 1150 and the builder of Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious monument, which he dedicated to Vishnu. He reunified the empire after a period of division and waged repeated campaigns against Dai Viet and Champa. He also restored formal relations with Song-dynasty China.

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Life events

Born into a provincial branch of the Khmer royal line
c. 1094

Suryavarman was born around the 1090s; details of his early life are known mainly from later inscriptions.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Seized the Khmer throne after defeating a rival king
1113

As a young prince he defeated and killed the reigning king Dharanindravarman I in battle, reuniting a divided empire under his rule.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Crowned king by the brahmin Divakarapandita
1113

The elderly royal priest Divakarapandita consecrated Suryavarman II as king in 1113, legitimizing his seizure of power.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Restored diplomatic relations with Song-dynasty China
1116

In 1116 Suryavarman II sent an embassy to the Song court, resuming formal Khmer-Chinese relations after a long interruption.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Began construction of Angkor Wat, dedicated to Vishnu
c. 1122 – c. 1150

Early in his reign Suryavarman II commissioned Angkor Wat as his state temple and eventual mausoleum, a project that continued throughout his rule.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Launched campaigns against Dai Viet
1128

From 1128 Suryavarman II mounted a series of largely unsuccessful invasions of Dai Viet (northern Vietnam), sometimes with Cham allies.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Invaded Champa and captured its capital Vijaya
1145

In 1145 Khmer forces took the Cham capital of Vijaya, and Suryavarman II placed Champa temporarily under Khmer control.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died, probably during or after a campaign against Champa
c. 1150

Suryavarman II disappears from the record around 1150; he is believed to have died about that year and received the posthumous name Paramavishnuloka.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Death ✓